The Boy Who Died
by Dylan13
Summary: *AU* One of the few pleasures that James and Lily Potter had during the wizarding war was their beloved baby boy, Harry. When even that is taken away from them, the Potters must cope with the loss of their son while still staying strong and doing their part to defeat Voldemort. Will Lily and James have their revenge? Which will prevail: good or evil?
1. Chapter 1

_October 31, 1981_

Lily and James Potter sat quietly on the couch in the living room of their comfy cottage in Godric's Hollow. Their son, Harry, was already fast asleep in his crib upstairs, and the Potter parents could faintly hear their beloved son snoring, lost in dream-land.

"James, dear, it's already 8:30," said Lily. "Why haven't we had any trick-or-treaters come for candy? I bought nearly 300 chocolate bars today!"

James thought for a moment. He knew that Lily may not approve of what he had done, but James certainly had good intentions. In James' eyes, that's what mattered.

"I cast a charm on the house, dear. The muggles can't see us." Mr. Potter had a hint of fear in his voice. You might be thinking that it's okay, that the little wizarding children would still be able to see the Potter's cottage, and Lily could still enjoy her beloved second favorite (or maybe even first favorite) holiday. Alas, these were dark times. Lord Voldemort and his death eaters were stronger than ever, and they were bloodthirsty. Countless wizards and muggles alike had been brutally murdered or seriously injured by The Dark Lord's orders over the past while, so no wizard parents would let their children roam around at night, with or without supervision. Lily, of course, knew this too, which is why she was so upset.

"Oh, James! You know Halloween is my second favorite holiday! Heck, maybe even my first favorite!" Lily exclaimed. "I just love when the adorable little children knock on our door, filled with excitement and proud of their cute little costumes. Did I ever tell you? Last year, a little muggle – she couldn't have been more than 6 – knocked on our door." Lily explained. "I opened up, ready to hand her candy, only to notice that she was dressed in a witch costume! Of course, witches don't have green faces – at least not in our world - and not all of them carry broomsticks, but it was still refreshing to see the way muggles think our kind looks like."

James had a large grin on his face. Lily always went off on tangents when she got excited about something. It was one of the things he loved about her.

"I'm sorry, dear, but don't you think a night to ourselves could be fun as well?" James said. "I mean, since Harry was born last year, we've barely had time to sit down and share a drink together. Not to mention this awful war going on. Look, I had good intentions, honest. I hope you're not too upset…"

This time, it was Lily's turn to smile.

"James, I love you sweetie," Lily said softly. "So much."

James chuckled. He leaned in and gave Lily a nice, long kiss on the lips. "You too."

James continued, "hey, why don't we go outside and look up at the stars. It's a nice night."

Lily took her husband's hand. "That, my dear," Lily remarked, "is a magnificent idea."

James was right, the night was a nice one. Beautiful, in fact. For a while they sat, gazing into the stars, and each others eyes. Both were at peace. How could you not be, anyway? At that point, it seemed to both of the Potters that they had a perfect life. Perfect house, perfect son, perfect couple. They truly were living the dream. Lily and James looked over at each other. They both closed their eyes, and slowly started leaning in for another kiss. Then they heard something. It was a very quiet creaking sound, barely loud enough to catch their attention, but in these scary times, everyone was always alert. Lily and James didn't want to admit it, however, but it seemed their worst nightmare had become reality.

Lord Voldemort had just entered their house, and Lily and James were certain that he was not there to trick or treat.

Until the day they died, Lily and James never made it through a single night without having petrifying nightmares about what took place in Godric's Hollow on that fateful Halloween night. Some nights, it was the sickening cries of their helpless one year old son, threatened by the appearance of the most powerful dark wizard of the age. Others, it was the blinding green flash of light that signified the end of a life that had barely begun. And some nights, it was all of it.

Lily and James stood glued to the spot for a moment trying to process what was happening. It was James who first leapt into action, trailed closely by his wife. They dashed across the yard and into their cottage, knowing full well that their lives were in great danger, but more concerned about their one year old son. Voldemort, who was already halfway up the stairs leading to the bedrooms in the house, including Harry's turned around.

The Dark Lord was tough to look at. His pale, ice like skin seemed to made him look as if someone had doused him in white paint. His snake like eyes were red and filled with hatred, and where his nose should have been were two thin, vertical slits.

"Potters," he spat. "My least favorite wizards."

"Voldemort - " James started, intense loathing in his voice. But he was cut off by the foul dark wizard.

"Silence!" sneered The Dark Lord. "You, James, are not worthy to speak my name. You are a disgrace to your bloodline. And you, Lily, should be ashamed that you spend your life with this man, never mind your muggle born status."

James was furious. "You back off of her, you little - "

"James!" cried Lily. "Stop, don't make him angry."

Harry must have been awoken by all the commotion going on on the level below him. James, Lily, and Voldemort could hear the miserable crying of the infant.

"Ah," started Voldemort. "The reason I came. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get rid of you two, as well. Perhaps, maybe just one of you, so that the other will be lonely and depressed. I quite like that idea actually." Voldemort quickly drew his wand, but Lily was quicker. Looking back on it, Lily knew she should have cast the disarming charm. Perhaps, without a wand, The Dark Lord would not have been able to do the damage that he did that night. Alas, it was a moment of sheer desperation, and Lily spoke the first incantation that came to her mind.

" _Reducto!"_

Voldemort flew up the stairs, his body slamming into the wall, creating a substantial hole. It took Lily only a fraction of a second to realize that she had just helped the evil wizard get closer and closer to her child. James started up the stairs, overflowing with rage.

"GAHHHH!" he shouted, prepared to tackle Voldemort.

" _Expelliarmus!"_ yelled Voldemort with a flick of his wand. James had been disarmed, but that didn't stop him. He continued up the stairs and tackled The Dark Lord as if they were playing a game of football.

The two men – if you can even call Voldemort a man – wrestled for a while, Voldemort unable to cast a spell. Lily wanted to help, but she was afraid that she would hit James instead. It was too risky. Instead, she started to run up the stairs, hoping to make it to Harry's room and secure her boy in her arms. Voldemort, realizing what was happening, managed to push James off and throw him into Lily, sending the Potters crashing down the stairs, hitting the bottom with a heavy thud. Dazed, and with blurry vision, Lily tried to get up, but searing hot pain shot up her left leg. Her femur was definitely fractured, and it hurt like nothing she had ever felt before. It appeared that James had been knocked out.

" _Expelliarmus!"_ she cried, with her last bit of strength, but the spell missed her target, and Voldemort got up, seemingly unharmed, even after his ordeal with James.

Voldemort laughed a horrid, evil laugh.

"It seems, Potters, that you have lost, just like anyone else who tries to face me. Your efforts are commendable, but you have struggled in vain." Voldemort walked in to the room where Harry Potter lay awake, still crying, and surely mystified at all the noise that coming from outside of his bedroom. Voldemort studied the boy. He had brilliant green eyes and messy, jet black hair. James and Lily's kid, no doubt about it, thought Voldemort. The Dark Lord raised his wand, ready to accomplish what he had come to do – kill the boy. Then, he had a thought, a horrific, disgusting, evil thought. He picked up the baby who was now screaming, sensing something wasn't right. Voldemort walked back out into the hallway and looked down the stairs.

Lily was still trying to stand up, but her leg would not allow it. Tears streamed down her face like a river. James still lay on the ground, unconscious and most likely concussed.

"P-please…please don't…an-anything, I'll do anything.." said Lily, in between bursts of tears.

Voldemort smiled wickedly. "Filthy little mud blood," he said insultingly.

James stirred, and managed to open his eyes, just a little bit. The sight he was met with was terrifying. His voice wouldn't work, he didn't have a wand. He was powerless. Lily and James had never felt so heartbroken.

Lily tried once again, her vision still foggy with pain.

"Please…I'm b-begging you…Harry…"

Harry looked at his parents, both injured and crestfallen at the sight of their boy in the clutches of The Dark Lord.

"Mama?!" cried Harry. "Dada?!" the baby shrieked again.

It was unbearable now. Those were Harry's first – and last – words. Had it been a regular night, James and Lily would have burst into tears of joy and picked up their son who had just spoken for the first time ever. The Potters would have been upset that they hadn't gotten it on video. Of course, this night was anything but regular. All that James and Lily could do was sob, and they were not tears of joy, that is for certain.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter," muttered Voldemort. He raised his wand, and spoke the most dreadful incantation, casting the most dreadful spell known to wizard kind, the killing curse.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

The last thing that Lily and James remembered from that night was the blinding green flash of light, the sudden silence, and then the sound of Voldemort disapparating away. The Potters then passed out. They did not wake up for several hours.


	2. Chapter 2

Needles to say, James and Lily Potter were heartbroken. They had witnessed their one year old son get killed by Lord Voldemort only hours ago. Neither of them could utter a single word for quite some time. They just stared at their limp son, who looked completely unharmed. Although he looked it, Harry Potter was not unharmed. He was dead, and there was no denying it.

Lily and James' heads were throbbing. They had been pushed down a flight of stairs by Voldemort, James had been concussed and Lily had shattered her leg. It was Mrs. Potter who first spoke up.

 _"Episkey!"_ she said, mending her leg. Stifling a scream, her left femur was repaired and she could finally stand up.

"N-no. Th-this is a dream," said James. "Harry can't be dead. No." Despite saying this, James knew full well that what he was saying was a lie, and his son was as dead as could be.

Lily didn't like it, but she had to be firm. Of course, she was ready to break down and sob for the rest of her life, but if she did that, Voldemort might as well have murdered her too. Lily contemplated what to do. Her mind was still racing at a million miles an hour trying to comprehend what she had seen. Voldemort. Killing curse. Harry. All of it was mixed up in her mind.

"We have to go see The Order," said Lily. Lily was referring to The Order Of The Phoenix, a secret society founded by Albus Dumbledore (headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) that was trying to prevent Lord Voldemort from taking over the world. Lily and James were members.

James was still a little dizzy, despite being passed out for several hours. It took him a while to stand up. "Yeah, y-you're probably right. What do we do with…with Harry?"

Lily hadn't even considered this. In these dark times, there would practically have to be a funeral every minute for everyone that had died. No, there wasn't time to have a proper ceremony.

"We'll bury him. And then we can go see The Order." Said Lily. James nodded. The next hour was the most painful one of James and Lily's lives. They did not want to use magic, the Potters felt that it would make it too easy, and goodbyes like this should never be easy. Lily found a stone and engraved Harry's name into it with a knife. James dug the hole. Both Potters went inside to get Harry. Lily and James decided that they would bury Harry with his favorite teddy bear and his blanket. They both slowly placed Harry in the hole in the ground, wrapped in his blue blanket with his teddy bear on his chest, and then James started to put the dirt back. The Potters were both sobbing. If you have never lost someone before, you will have no idea how Mr. and Mrs. Potter felt. If you have, you still may not have any idea. This is because Lily and James saw their baby get murdered. Lots of people don't see it when family members or people close to them die, but the Potters witnessed everything. The worst part for them was that they had lost. They had a chance to fight, to stop Voldemort, and they couldn't do it even to save their own son's life. It stung like a thousand bees.

The headquarters of The Order Of The Phoenix was previously the house of the Black family, and Sirius Black was a member of The Order, so he offered that his family house be used. The Potters apparated (which is teleportation but for witches and wizards) to the front of 12 Grimmauld Place, where all the members of The Order had been called by Lily and James for an emergency meeting. The Black family house was protected by various charms and enchantments, all of which the Potters knew how to get past.

Lily and James walked through the hallway that led into the kitchen, where meetings were usually held. They walked past a room on the right that had a whole wall dedicated to the Black family tree, and a staircase on the left that led up to the bedrooms in the house. Slowly, they entered the kitchen and were met with the eyes of every member of the order. Dumbledore was sitting at the head of the table, and he spoke first.

"Lily, James! Wonderful to see you both. Whatever was so important that an emergency meeting had to be called?"

The Potters had a silent conversation with each other. They weren't really sure how to break the news. Eventually, they decided to make it short and sweet; going into detail about it would be too painful to listen to, and especially to painful to tell about it.

Lily stifled a sob before giving The Order Of The Phoenix an explanation.

"Voldemort – he…he came to our house. We…" her voice trailed off. Dumbledore was curious.

"Oh my…oh no. Is everything alright? Where is Harry by the way? It's - " and then Dumbledore, along with all the rest of the members, pieced it together. There was no need for James or Lily to say anything more. As realization dawned on everyone who sat at the table, the Potters once again started crying. As did everyone else. Of course, no one else at that table knew exactly how Lily and James felt. Even Dumbledore, perhaps the most intelligent person in the room who had lost his sister as a boy, knew nothing of how fragile the Potters were at this time. This is why even after what seemed like an eternity trying to cheer up the two heartbroken people, nothing had changed. Surprisingly, however, it was James who opened his mouth before anyone else.

"We need to fight him," he said. "And we need to win. I am _not_ going to let anyone else suffer because of that awful wizard. Together, we will take him down. And Harry won't have died in vain." Everyone in the room – including Lily – was a little taken aback; usually when someone loses their child they spend days, months, or even years grieving. But James was strong, and despite still feeling horribly sad, he knew what had to be done. So did everyone else.

Alastor Moody, another member of The Order nodded. Alastor had a fake glass eye, and had taken on the nickname "Mad Eye Moody" in the past. Mad Eye spoke in agreement. "He's right, Dumbledore. I know they've both just seen their kid get killed an' all, but - "

"Alastor!" exclaimed Sirius Black.

"Sorry, sorry," Mad Eye said apologetically. "The point is James is right. We can't let this stop us, no matter how awful it is. In fact, this should motivate us – it should make us want to fight harder."

Everyone nodded in agreement. There was only one problem that hadn't yet been resolved.

"So," Lily said, "what do we do now?"


End file.
